John Wemmie, a UI neuroscientist, shares insights from an experiment on how SM, a woman with a rare illness that damaged her amygdala and left her unafraid, recently experienced a panic attack, which may have practical value in the study of panic attacks.

New study contends different areas of brain responsible for external versus internal threats

By: John Riehl | 2013.02.04 | 11:17 am

Researchers at the University of Iowa say the human brain has a new, second gatekeeper that registers fear. The region, perhaps the brainstem, diencephalon or insular cortex, signals fear from internal dangers. The finding could lead to more precise treatment for people suffering from panic attacks and other anxiety disorders. Results appear in "Nature Neuroscience."